Vehicle latch mechanism jig
AssigneeNissan North America, Inc.
InventorShannon Leigh Stevens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A jig has a frame, a carrier and a hood latch supporting assembly. The frame has two first shafts and a bracket attachment portion. The carrier has two sliders and a second shaft. The two sliders are fitted to the first shafts for movement in a Z-direction along the first shafts. The second shaft is perpendicular to the first shafts. The two sliders and the second shaft are rigidly fixed to one another. The hood latch supporting assembly has a second slider and a latch support portion. The second slider is fitted to the second shaft for movement in an X-axis direction along the second shaft. The latch support portion is coupled to the second slider for movement therewith. The frame assembly allows movement of a latch mechanism loosely fitted to a bracket during alignment of the latch mechanism to the bracket.
Claims17
A vehicle latch mechanism jig, comprising:
- a frame assembly having at least one first shaft and a vehicle bracket attachment portion;
- a carrier assembly having at least one slider and a second shaft, the at least one slider being fitted to the at least one first shaft for movement in a Z-direction along the at least one first shaft, the second shaft perpendicular to the at least one first shaft, the at least one slider and the second shaft being rigidly fixed to one another;
- and
- a hood latch supporting assembly having a slider member, an elongated extension member and a latch support portion, the slider member being fitted to the second shaft for movement in an X-axis direction along the second shaft, a first end of the elongated extension member being rigidly fixed to the slider member and the latch support portion being located at a second end of the elongated extension member,
- the frame assembly being configured such that with the vehicle bracket attachment portion removably attached to a vehicle bracket the latch support portion attaches to a hood latch mechanism that is loosely fitted to the vehicle bracket during alignment of the hood latch mechanism to the vehicle bracket.
A method for aligning a hood latch mechanism during installation using a latch mechanism jig, comprising:
- loosely attaching a latch mechanism to a vehicle bracket forward from an engine compartment of a vehicle;
- providing a latch mechanism jig with a frame assembly, a carrier assembly supported to the frame assembly for limited movement in a Z-direction relative to the frame assembly and a hood latch support assembly supported to the carrier assembly for limited movement in an X-direction relative to the frame assembly and the carrier assembly;
- removably installing the frame assembly of the latch mechanism jig to the vehicle bracket such that a latch support portion of the hood latch support assembly contacts the latch mechanism;
- closing a hood of the vehicle such that a latch striker fixedly and non-movably attached to the hood engages the latch mechanism positioning the latch mechanism relative the vehicle bracket, the latch mechanism jig allowing movement of the latch mechanism relative to the vehicle bracket in both the Z-direction and the X-direction during the closing of the hood;
- tightening fasteners supporting the latch mechanism thereby fixing the latch mechanism in position relative to the vehicle bracket;
- and
- removing the latch mechanism jig from the latch mechanism and the vehicle bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.